Burnsie’s Cheesy Wild Rice and Chicken Soup
The Anishinaabeg have harvested manoomin, or wild rice, in the area now known as the Great Lakes for hundreds of years. Myron A. Burns Sr., who goes by Burnsie, a lifelong ricer and elder of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, combines hand-harvested manoomin, lean meat and rich dairy in a single pot to produce this hearty soup. Natural manoomin is knocked into canoe beds with wooden sticks, then dried, hulled and winnowed by community members, producing a soft, flavorful brown rice that cooks in 15 minutes. This differs from the commercially cultivated wild rice sold in supermarkets, which is grown in artificial paddies and processed by machine, producing a chewier black rice that takes at least 45 minutes to cook. You’re urged to seek out manoomin for this recipe (see Tip), but you could substitute store-bought, commercially cultivated wild rice if preferred. Top this soup with herbs and pair with crackers for a thoughtfully satisfying meal.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 8 persons
Ingredients
- 1cup manoomin (wild rice); see Tip
- 4cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size cubes
- Salt and pepper
- 4strips of bacon, cut into ¼-inch-thick lardons
- 1(10-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
- 1teaspoon garlic powder
- 1lemon, zested then halved
- 1pound Velveeta cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes (see Tip)
- 1cup half-and-half
- ¼cup fresh lemon juice
- Paprika (optional)
- Chopped scallions, chives or parsley, for topping
Instructions
Step 1
Parboil the rice: In a large Dutch oven or pot, rinse dry rice with warm water until clear, swishing the kernels with your hands and refilling with more warm water until clear and free of debris and impurities. Drain, leaving rice in the pot, then add the broth. Cover the pot with a lid and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, undisturbed, for 10 to 15 minutes. (For commercially cultivated wild rice, simmer for 45 minutes, or according to instructions on the package.)Step 2
While the rice parboils, scoop the chicken into a medium bowl, toss generously with salt and pepper and set aside in the refrigerator.Step 3
Cook the bacon lardons in a small skillet over medium-low, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent but not crispy, about 3 minutes; set aside.Step 4
Taste the rice to check doneness before proceeding. It should be soft and somewhat chewy; the rice will be ready when steam escapes from underneath the lid. Do not drain.Step 5
Once the rice is ready, begin the soup: Thoroughly stir the rice, which will start to split in the water. Keeping the temperature at medium-low, gently add the seasoned chicken to the rice and broth. Transfer the bacon and rendered bacon fat from the skillet into the pot, then add the cream of chicken soup, garlic powder and lemon zest. Cover and simmer on low to medium-low heat for 15 minutes.Step 6
Once the broth has thoroughly cooked the chicken, add the Velveeta and half-and-half and stir until smooth.Step 7
Immediately prior to serving, squeeze in lemon juice to taste and stir thoroughly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with paprika (if using), garnish with fresh herbs and serve.